1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus and an image reading apparatus, and more specifically to a curl suppressing member which suppresses curl in the sheets.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image reading apparatus which reads an image on an original document includes a sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets such as recording materials or original documents separately one by one to an image reading unit. A conventional sheet feeding apparatus feeds sheets set on a sheet tray one by one by means of a pickup roller.
In the related art, an apparatus is discussed having a structure in which a detection sensor detects that sheets are placed on a sheet tray, the detection sensor being at a downstream end side in the sheet feeding direction of the sheet tray (at a leading edge side of the placed sheets) (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-277533).
In such a sheet feeding apparatus of the related art, however, the detection sensor cannot detect that sheets are placed on the sheet tray if the leading edges of the sheets curl upward, for example. Accordingly, since the detection sensor does not detect the sheets although the sheets are indeed present, the sheet feeding apparatus incorrectly determines that the sheets are not placed on the sheet tray. Therefore, feeding of the sheets does not start. In particular, when a small number of sheets are placed and if the leading edges of the sheets curl upward, the leading edges of the placed sheets are not in contact with the upper surface of the sheet tray, and thus the detection sensor does not detect the sheets.
In view of the aforementioned circumstances, the present invention is directed to a sheet feeding apparatus and an image reading apparatus capable of detecting more accurately that the sheets are in place.